Purdue News

March 6, 1998

Workshop to share basics of barn restoration

The "Barn Again in Indiana" workshop sessions on Saturday, March 28, will teach farmers how to transform an unused barn into a practical and economically viable part of a modern farm, said Marsh Davis, director of community services of the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana. The foundation, along with the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, is organizing the workshop.

"The purpose of the workshops is to show farmers that old barns play a part in modern farms and that they also lend themselves to other uses. We do emphasize the ongoing agriculture use for barns in a way that is economically feasible," Davis said.

According to Davis, old barns have been fixed up to serve many purposes, from traditional storage facilities or hog confinement buildings to antique and herb stores.

"There's a tremendous amount of interest in old barns. People recognize that these barns are important. There's far too many barns in the process of being lost," he said. "With a little bit of work, you'll see many old barns that are not obsolete, but economically viable, practical buildings. Saving an old barn and adapting it for new uses is much less expensive than building a new barn."

Farmers attending the Barn Again workshop will learn a little of the history of barns in the Midwest and will visit examples of restored barns.

Barn contractors Mike Woodford, from Woodford Brothers Inc. in Apulia Station, N.Y., and Amos Schwartz from Schwartz Construction in Geneva, Ind., will share the basics of how to restore a barn.

The Barn Again workshop will be from 9 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. Saturday, March 28, at the Fulton County Historical Society in Rochester, Ind. A fee of $25 per person includes the workshops, an information packet and lunch. Registration is due by March 23. For more information, contact Suzanne Stanis, Historic Landmarks Association, (800) 450-4534.

Compiled by Chris Sigurdson, (765) 494-8415; E-mail, sig@ecn.purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu

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